Oahu College (originally and later, Punahou School; 1853-1934) was located in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. It was a school for the children of Protestant missionaries serving throughout the Pacific region. It was the first school west of the Rocky Mountains and east of Asia with classes in English only.[1] In 1795, King Kamehameha I overtook the land known as Ka Punahou in battle. Along with Ka Punahou, he gave a total of 225 acres (0.91 km2) of land (from the slope of Round Top to the current Central Union Church, which included a 77-acre (310,000 m2) tract of Kewalo Basin) to chief Kameʻeiamoku as a reward for his loyalty. After Kameʻeiamoku died, the land passed to his son, Ulumāheihei Hoapili, who lived there for 20 more years. When Hoapili left to become governor of Maui, he gave the land to his daughter, Kuini Liliha.[2] Liliha and her husband, Oahu Governor Boki, gave Ka Punahou to Reverend Hiram Bingham, one of the first Protestant missionaries in Hawaii.[1] Queen Kaʻahumanu was a strong supporter of the mission and built a house for herself near Bingham. A portion of the stone wall she had built to protect the compound from roaming cattle has been preserved. The first class was held on July 11, 1842, and had 15 students. Daniel Dole was Punahou's first principal.[3]
- ^ a b Dorothy Rinconda (October 4, 1971). "Punahou School Campus nomination form". National Register of Historic Places. U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
- ^ Punahou School Timeline. Harbor Graphics and Fine Printing. 1991.
- ^ William DeWitt Alexander (1907). Oahu college: list of trustees, presidents, instructors, matrons, librarians, superintendents of grounds and students, 1841-1906. Historical sketch of Oahu college. Hawaiian Gazette Company. pp. 4–5.